Kota ( ), formerly known as Kotah, is a city in the northern Indian state of Rajasthan. It is located 240 km (149.1 mi) south of state capital, Jaipur. Situated on the banks of Chambal River, the city is the trade centre for an area in which millet, wheat, rice, pulses, coriander and oilseeds are grown; industries include cotton and oilseed milling, textile weaving, distilling, dairying, manufacture of metal handcrafts, fertilizers, chemicals and engineering equipment.

It has fertile land and greenery with irrigation facilities through canals. Kota is one of the industrial hubs in northern India, with chemical, engineering and power plants based there. The rail junction, a road hub, lies 4.8 km (3 mi) to the north.

Kota is one of the principal cities of Rajasthan province. Kota has coaching facilities for pre-engineering, pre-IIT and pre-medical examinations. Some popular coaching institutes are Career Point, Vibrant Academy, Bansal Classes and Resonance Eduventures Pvt. Ltd. and Allen Career Institute.

Kota has a distinctive style of painting. The Crosthwaite Institute is located in Kota, as are old and new palaces of the Maharao (the maharajahs).